Not Just For The Red Carpet: Minimalist Trains Are Summer’s Biggest Trend

Normally reserved for weddings or red carpets, trains are stealing the spotlight this spring, thanks to designers adding a few inches of fabric that make us all feel like going for the main character moment. 

Take, for example, the dresses and skirts seen at the spring/summer 2023 shows, where designers displayed everything from high-low hemlines, as well as asymmetric skirts that looked as if shredded with the wind, and full-on trains. At Blumarine, where Y2K pop punk styles made their way down the runway, designer Nicola Brognano showed jersey dresses in pink and ash shades with floor-length strips of fabric. Then, there was Acne, which featured similarly asymmetric trains in silky dresses that mimicked traditional red carpet numbers. Meanwhile, Bally featured a plunging neckline mini dress with a lopsided, floor-sweeping hemline. 

It’s clear that designers are rethinking what traditional trains look like in 2023, especially considering red carpet, formal, and wedding fashion are going through a transition. At recent award shows, for example, trains took new shapes, from Elizabeth Banks wearing a black dress with a bow that extended to the floor at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party to Ashley Graham sporting a sheer gown to the Oscars red carpet, featuring two trains that stemmed from the sleeves. 

While this trend may seem like it’s only reserved for special occasions, the 2023 twist to this classic detail is making us reconsider its casual possibilities. At Saint Laurent’s fall 2023 collection, for example, designer Anthony Vaccarello showed a slew of lengthy scarves hanging from the back of the models’ power blazers, creating a train effect that’s work-ready. Meanwhile, English brand Bernadette showed a set of mini skirts with a floor-hitting fabric strip in sorbet colors, perfect for a picnic outing. Back in 2022, Prada also gave trains an everyday look, including micro mini skirts that left a trail of fabric behind. 

This trend is the kind of kooky spin on formality that’s signature of the 2020s fashion so far, when labeling outfits by occasion, gender, or season is just so last decade. That’s why I suggest you sport trains everywhere this 2023, whether paired with simple sandals and a ludicrously capacious handbag à la Acne spring 2023, over pants fashioned after Blumarine’s spring lineup, or even with a basic T-shirt. 

Roll out the red carpet with the options ahead.